BRISTOL, Conn. (WTNH) — Two Bristol police officers were killed and another was injured after responding to a domestic disturbance call on Wednesday, leading the injured officer to return fire and kill the suspect, police confirmed.
Sgt. Dustin DeMonte, 35, and Officer Alex Hamzy, 34, were killed after police said they were called to a Bristol home for a possible domestic violence situation between two brothers. Officer Alec Iurato, 26, was also wounded.
Bristol police said Iurato returned fire, shooting 35-year-old Nicholas Brutcher in the throat and killing him. His brother Nathan was injured.
Police told News 8 that the 911 call to the home was made to deliberately lead the officers into an ambush.
Earlier that night, police were called to the bar Bleachers for a dispute, according to sources, who have not clarified the nature or cause of the conflict. It was there that they came into contact with the suspect, Nicholas Brutcher. A car belonging to either Nicholas Brutcher or his brother was towed from the bar.
Autopsy information released Friday show that both officers and Nicholas Brutcher were shot to death.
Sources close to the investigation confirmed to News 8 that Nicholas Brutcher used an AR-15-style firearm in the shooting. Those sources also told News 8 that 14 guns were seized from the home during the investigation.
The guns seized by police were legally registered before the weapons were outlawed in 2013, and were therefore grandfathered in, according to the sources.
Myra Vazquez, who lives near the house, thinks the attack was “calculated.”
“I heard one of the police officers screaming, ‘Put the gun down, put the gun down, put the gun down, stay down,’ so I just threw myself to the ground,” she said.
Chandler MacKenzie, another neighbor, is reeling from what happened.
“This is terrifying,” MacKenzie said. “I have a girlfriend and a dog, and we’re terrified because this is so crazy.”
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